Hi. Sir.

I need a hypnotherapist in London who can help me with my problems. I started worrying about getting into a car and driving anywhere. I don’t drive, but I found it difficult getting into any cars, taxis. I then started to avoid public transport and refused to get on a bus, or travel on London Underground. I started to go on the train to work even though it was a longer journey. I then stopped going on the train, and stopped work altogether. My phobia got worse at this point. I seem to be punishing my parents for the way that they have treated me recently, I have shout at them all the time, and then make up the next day. I am very anxious around other people and I only have two friends. I heard that hypnotherapy is used in order to help people with claustrophobia. I have other problems too, though. Can hypnosis be used to help me with my fear of travelling, and my fear of cars and trains. I have been to a hypnotherapist before and he help me to give up smoking. I am still off the cigs, but now I have bigger problems. Thanks. Natalie

Dear Natalie

It sounds like you need some time to work through some of these issues with a psychotherapist or counsellor. My approach combines psychotherapy–specifically psychodynamic psychotherapy–with hypnosis. I feel that hypnotherapy is not a therapy on its own andit should be combined with another form of treatment–nursing, dentistry, psychotherapy, CBT, NLP, cognitive or behavioural approaches. As I say, I use psychotherapy and feel that the support that give is critical in treatment. I should be happy to see you in town. All you need to do is to ring the following number–0207 467 8564.   

David Kraft

Dr David Kraft (PhD) is a private hypnotherapist and psychotherapist, and is based at the following address: 10 Harley Street, London, W1G 9PF. David trained in hypnosis at the BST Foundation in Russell Square, London. It was here that he received the Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis (DCHyp), and the Advanced Certificate in Clinical and Strategic Hypnosis (A.Cert.CSHyp). He also has a Diploma in Clinical Psychology (Dip.Cl.Psy) from the London School of Management Science. David is a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and a full member of BSCAH. He has also publsihed nationally and internationally; he has, for example, written four papers in Contemporary Hypnosis, which is the journal for BSCAH. Dr David Kraft uses psychodynamic psychotherapy combined with hypnosis.

Key Words: Agoraphobia, Claustrophobia, Anxiety

Dear hypnotherapist

I have been suffering from depression for some time, and I don’t know it is genetic or whether I have had bad experiences in the past. All I can say is that sometimes I feel dreadful, I feel useless, and can’t get out of bed. I feel that I don’t want to do anything, and that everything is useless. I first went to my GP and she gave me beta blockers. I then went for a one off session to see a psychiatrist and he worried me. He said that I had clinical depression and he prescribed me Allegron. I was taking 25mg for some time and this made me feel out of control. I felt that my emotions were numbed and that I didn’t care about what was going on around me. Please help me.

I heard that hypnotherapy was usefull and can help people get out of depression. I also read that it provides support and that one can use hypnotherapy to boost you at your time of need. Can you help? Two of my friends said that they have used hypnosis. Is hypnotherapy the same thing as hypnosis? Please help.

H

Dear H

Thank you for your enquiry. The first thing that I should say is that I don’t want to interfere with anything that your psychiatrist has said; I should also point out that I am not a psychiatrist and I do not prescribe medication. If you would like to see me for a consultation, that is fine, but you would have to get a referral letter from your psychiatrist. I wold then be happy to see you. Allegron is the trade name for Nortriptyline and it is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCAD). They work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline into the neurons: they prolong the effects of these neurotranssmitters. I tend not to user labels in therapy. I find that labelling someone is unhelpful, and many people have been affected by false or generalized labelling. I use hypnosis in my practice to augment the work that I do in the psychodynamic psychotherapy. Essentially, the term hypnotherapy is a misnomer. Although I often use the term for convenience, hypnotherapy refers to a form of treatment in which the therapist uses hypnosis; however, I believe that hypnosis should only be used with another existing therapy such as CBT, psychotherapy, dentistry, clinical psychology etc. Perhaps, it is not worth getting bogged down with terminology. If you would like to book a session, please feel free to ring the number below. Hypnosis, used in conjunction with psychotherapy, which is the approach that I take, is a very powerful and effective form of treatment which has no side effects, and it is a programme which does not use medication.

The best of luck

Dr David Kraft, London Hypnotherapy UK & London Psychotherapy

David Kraft (PhD) is a member of the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis (BSCAH), and a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine; he is also a member of the Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine. Section of the Royal Society of Medicine, and on the General Hypnotherapy Register. He has published articles in’ Contemporary Hypnosis which is the official publication for BSCAH. He has also written articles in the Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. He has also written two obituaries–one in  the BSCAH newsletter and one in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).  He has a diploma in Clinical Psychology, a diploma in clinical hypnosis and advanced diploma in clinical and strategic hypnosis. Dr David Kraft works as a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist in private practice.

Address–10 Harley Street, London, W1G 9PF

Phone Number–0207 467 8564.